Ticket cutter



Feb. s, 1944.

H. M. BASCOM ET AL TICKET CUTTER Filed Dec. 26, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 H. M. @ASCOM /Nmms w A. "RHODES A TTORNEY Feb. 8, 1.944. H. M. BAscoM Erm.

TICKET CUTTER Filed Dec. 26, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 V W5 M CD .R www BR A MA.. HMI m@ Ty NB wh, w

Fig. 2 is a side elevation view of the ticket cutter;

Fig. 3 is a detail view of the cutter blades;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of Lucite tubes or rods arranged for scanning a tape of opaque 5 material;

Fig. 5 is an *end elevational View of the Lucite rods disclosed lin Fig. 4

Fig. 6 is a diagram disclosing the circuit'of the ticket cutter; and

Fig. 7 is a view of a section of a printed ticket tape disclosing the end-of-ticket marks printed'.l thereon.

Referring particularly to Fig s. l and 2, labase, I is provided to one end of which are securved-two?l upwardly and parallelly extending brackets 2 and 3 between the upper ends of which the ltape reel 4 may be inserted and rotationally supported on` the spindle 5. Aligned with a reel when inserted 1 between the brackets 2 and 3 is a channel shaped 20 tape guide -Ii which is supported.. on. thestandard.. 'I Yalso suitablysecured to-basel I. The standard...` 'bis` provided lwith -two parallel and` forwardly: extending portions-8 and 9 disposed above.- andY below the guide I.- Each of these portions .is.25 formed 'as achannel serving as a holden'forA a.. brush; the brush I0 4beingheld inthe channel. of. portion 8 in sucha positionthat the ends of. its bristles engageA the Yupper surface of atapetsuch as Tr,-when-such--tape disposedu on-.the guide. I.v 30 andthe brush- II *being held -in` the channel. of portion 9 insucha position that.theends-.ofits bristles engage the under surface of the tape.- Tfhe brushes vengaging with the tape tendto place. adra'g'on the tape so that` it is kept taut-and -35 smooth as it is pulledforward between .the brushes as will be later described.

Extending lengthwise ofthe base. I and per.

' pendicular thereto is a wall I2 whichv is .provided` at-onev of its ends with a lug-I3 by which itis` 40..

secured to the basel and at-its other endwithy a; lug. I 4-also secured-to thebase I -as by screwsy I5'. "Also secured tobase-I Vadjacentto-its forwards edge isa bracket VYI6.y Journaled.inalignedholes` in the wal1.I2- and in thebracketIB .is an upperJ 45y feed roll shaft .I'I .towhichis secureda vfeedtrolll I8.v having a friction. surface of soft rubber.l Also, journaled in other aligned ,holes` in the. .wall .I 2.n andin .the bracket., I6 Aand directly beneathfthe` shaftfITI is a ,second shaftl9 Yto .whichislsecureds 50' alower, .feed roll Il` alsohaving a friction surface of ..soft., rubber... Thema-.rolls are. .so lrrxciunted.,v withzrespect teeach other. thatthe engagedrqltv.. tiene .0f theilnrubbsr .,.Surfaeaare aligned, with.. thgeuideand, gir the. @are T when ,thetasefis inserted through the guide. and Y between, the brushes `I 0 and I I and engaged between the rolls. Thek upper roll -I8 is drivenv through reduction gearing 2l by the motor 22and through itsffrictional f engagement with the roll drivesv the latter roll. when the upper rou la is driven ,byV them'otor 22, the tape T is unrolled from the reel 4'at' a `constant speed,k the tape being maintainedv taut, as hereinbefore stated by the brushes I0 and I I; between-such brushes and the rolls.

For scanning the end-oLticket marksi on ther tape vT,such as are indicated by the letters M- on the sample'tape disclosed` in Fig; 7, two tubes or r0dsf23 and 24 of Lucite or al similarlight con-- ductingmaterial aresecured to the upperland lower faces ofthe portions 8 and. 9 ofthe brackets*- 1 by the clips 25 and..26. .These rodsare -pro. vided at one of their ends .with portions bent atv right angles into valigunlent.witheach otherzand R21 of .the potential divider.

sage of the tape T between them. These aligned ends of the rods are so positioned as to overlie the path of the end-of-ticket marks M as the tape is drawn through the machine. The other end of the rod 23 is positioned adjacent to a window 26 in the opaque surface of a photoelectric cell 2'I. The other end of rod 24 ispositioned opposite the end opening inthel parabolic reector 28 within which the lamp 29 is positioned. The photoelectric cell 2'I and the lamp 29 are mounted in sockets 30 and 3I which are suitably secured to the. base I. The end of rod 24 adjacent to the reflector 28 is supported on the upper end of thewbracket 32'which is secured to the base I and is secured to such bracket by the clip 33.

Therod :23,isalso supported by the clip 34 secured to the eld magnet shell 35 surrounding the solenoid coil 36.- When the lamp 29 is lighted, light therefrom is concentrated by the reflector 28 upon the end of rod 24 and is conducted along the.rod,.transmitted through the 4transparent tape T when.y interposed .between l the'. ends Aof' rods. 23"? and. 24,; and.is` then conducted 'alongJ rodz23znandrf. directed. through the .windowgv 26 upon-'the -lightif'. sensitive surface of the ,photoelectric cell. 2T. Referring` tothe vcircuit ,diagramI ofrFigzr 6,.; it willbenoted that when the key KI is operated, the'f lamp 29 is'lighted fromthe source 'of 'commercial'.v alternating .Y current Yand that current.v is .supplied 1 to the .potential divider comprising the three seriz@ allyl connectedresistances RI.. R2. and-'R3 from: the,..source.3ft/.which also applies potentialv toy then electrodes ofthe photoelectricell.. 21.v The' celll..` isconnected in shunt; of themiddlelresistance Key K'IS alsolcon'ef nectslthe positive .terminal of I battery 38.-'through* the upper winding 4of plate relay 3l to the.T platee.L of.. amplifier tube. 39; prepares.A a locking-circuit:-

:froml the: source of: current. 40 Avfor the .lower or f' lockingwinding ofrelay. 3'I and forthe operating,` circuit ofsolenoid 36; connects .the `battery 4I-toi theccathode of. the tube 39 '-land' connectswthea source tof alternating Vcurrent .toV the ,filament l'oflf the! tubea39. for ,lightingsuch filament. With#A 1 the photoelectric cell .-'lfillumnatedfbylight fIOm lamp-29:passing :throughr the .tape .T, thez cell 42l presents; a., certain impedance in Aparallel-'wit-,l'l rez sistance .R2-which causes theapplicationof such.:l a .potential tothe grid of thetube. 39-as:.to cause# little; or no. plate current -to-iiow .through vthe tubef 39.: When,. however, an end-of-ticket mark1'M': orb-.the tape T becomesinterposed betweenfthev ends ofthe-rods 231and. 24,.thev illuminationvofi thephotoelectric` cell; 21 is decreased whereby the impedance of .the cell is increased yand therebythe-.-. potential. .on the Vgrid- .of tube 39'4 is increased to cause Lplate current to iiow .through the -tube1andthrough `.the .upper winding of plate relay 3'I: Relay, 3l` thereupon. operates, `locks through its lower. .winding .overv its contacts, the normally closed. contacts 42.- controlled bythe cam surface` 43: 'carried by. the f bar 44 `to. which the1armaturecore'45'of the solenoid 36 is attached; andl over the.' circuit prepared by lthel operation of key KI toground. R'elay.- 3'Isalso. establishes afcircuitfv 1n..v parallel. with its locking windingthrough lthe coilV 36 :of thesolenoid .whereupon the-solenoid: draws the core armaturek 45.into the axialopene ingwithin` itself. Thekey K2"whenoperated connects the sourcel of alternating.-.current1to`l the drivingmotor .22'which drives the feed rolls`E I8 and 20 to advance the tape T through 'thee machine fin; the.dir1ection..of .the `arrow' vas disclosedin'Figs; 1 and,2.f Thekeys KI andK2',-re'--^ ed on--the' rear face of wall I2 as best disclosed insjAlFig.' 1. The solenoid 36 is attached by its magnet i-leld vshell 35 to the front face of wall I2 andthe amplifier tube 39 is mounted on the base I.v

The slidable bar 44 has a reduced portion 46, l

inner surface of the forwardly extending end of l the wall I2. The restoring spring 41 is attached at one of its ends to the bar 44 and at the other of its ends to an eyelet threaded into a tapped opening in the wall I2.

For severing the tapeT two cutter blades 48 and 49 are provided. The upper cutter blade 48 is provided at each of its ends with a pin 59 extending at right angles therefrom, these pins slidably engaging in holes in the supporting arms I and 52 which are rotatably supported on the shaft I1 at the opposite ends of the upper feed roll I8, Interposed between the ends of the pins 59 and the bottoms of the holes in the arms 5I and 52 are spira1 springs (not shown) against the vtension of which the cutter blade 48 may move radially toward the surface of the feed roll I8. The lower cutter blade 49 is similarly supported on the two arms rotatably supported on the lower shaft I9 at the opposite ends of the lower feed roll 29, one of these arms 53 being shown in Fig. 2.

The arm 52 has an upwardly extending portion 54, the upper end of which is normally latched against movement by the latch 55 and is held against the latch by the weight of arm 52 and of blade 48. The latch 55 is pivoted tothe wall I2 by the pin 56 and is normally held in its latching engagement with the upper end of the arm portion 54 by the spring 51 oneend of which is hooked to a stud extending from the wall I2 and the other end of which is attached to an eyelet secured to the latch 55. The latching movement of the latch 55 is limited by the stop pin 58 attached to the wall I2. The latch 55 is also provided with an outturned arm 59 engageable by a pawl 69 pivoted by the pin 6I to the slidable bar 44. The pawl 69 is normally held in the position shown in Fig. 1 against the stop pin 62 by a leaf spring 63, one end of which is engaged against the tail portion of the pawl and the other end of which is secured by the stud 64 to the bar 44.

When the solenoid coil 36 is energized in the manner previously described, the attraction of the armature core 45 moves the bar 44 towards the left, as viewed in Fig. 2, whereby the pawl 69 carried by the bar 44 rst engages the arm 59 of the latch 55 thereby rotating the latch against the tension of spring 51 to unlatch the portion 54 of the upper cutter blade supporting arm 52. Upon the continued movement of the pawl 69 it moves the unlatched portion 54 of the arm 52 thereby moving the cutter blade 48 in the direction of rotation of the upper feed Vroll I8. As the cutter blade 48 moves, the downwardly extending tongue 65 thereof engages the lower cutter blade 49 as disclosed in Fig. 3, thereby causing a rotation of the cutter blade '49 around theHshaft I9. As theA cutter .blade-48 continues its movement'between th` yielding" surfaces of the feed rolls I8 and 29, it forces the cutter blade 49 ahead, first by its tongue and' then by the laterally moving engagement of its cutting edge with the cutting edge of the lower.

cutter blade 49 whereby the cutting edges of the cutter blades are engaged in a lateral movement across the tape T thereby severing thetape.

As the two cutter blades enter between the feed rolls I8 and 29, teeth of the gears66 and 61, which are secured respectively to the arm 5I which supports one end of the cutter blade 48 and to the arm (not shown) which supports one end of the cutterrblade 49, become engaged. Asi the gear 61 rotates, it causes the rotation of cam 68 secured thereto thereby depressing the free end of cantilever spring 69. The outer free end ofthe l spring 69 carries a cam roller 19 which engages with the surface of cam68 and the other end of the spring is clamped to the bracket 32. Whenv the cutter blades have advanced between the rolls nearly to the point of their emergence from between the rolls, the cam 68 will have rotated to a point at which the cam roller 19 has passed over the high point on the surface of such cam, whereupon the pressure of the tensioned spring 69 will cause through the roller 19 the quick continued rotation of the cam 68 and associated gear 61 and the rotation of the intermeshed gear y 66 even after such gears cease to be driven by the engagement of the cutter blades between the feed roll.

The continued rotation of gear 61 returns the cutter blade 49 to its normal position disclosed in Fig. 2 at which time the cam rollerv 19 is engaged in the depression in the surface of cam 68. The continued rotation of gear 66 returns the cutter blade 48 to its normal position at which time the arm 54 engages against the latch 55. l i

When the core armature 45 was fully attracted by the energization of the solenoid core 36, the cam member 43 carried by the bar 44 engaged the movable spring of the pair of Springs 42 thereby disengaging such springs to open the locking Vcircuit of relayv 31 and the operating circuit of solenoid coil 36. Relay 31 thereupon released and the solenoid coil became deenergized whereupon the bar 44 was returned to its normal position by the spring 41. As the bar' moved back to normal, the springs 42 were permitted to reclose and the pawl 69 was depressed against the tension of its leaf spring 63 as it cammed over the edge of the forwardly extending arm 59 of the latch 55 until -it snapped over the arm 59 into the position disclosed in Fig. 1. When the arm 54 of the cutter support was rotated by the gear .66 into its normal position against the latch 55, it also cammed the pawl Y 69 out of its path if such pawl had at that time been restored to its normal position.

The cutter blades 48 and 49 are positioned ahead of the scanning ends of the lucite rods 23 and 24 suflciently so that the tape T will be advanced after an end-of-ticket mark M thereon has been scanned to a point where the cutter blades will sever the tape at or closely adjacent to such mark when the cutters are actuated in response to scanning the mark. When the ticket has been severed and leaves the feed rolls I8 and 29, it becomes deposited vin the bin 1| secured to the base I.

In the foregoing description it has been assumed that the toll tickets have been printed on .a tape of transparent or semitransparent mate-- riali 'and'. that the): luctel.rods-1` 23'sv and 24" weren therefore.; positioned; toe: scan: their tape'iby lightii'.: transmitted. through v.the tape-'e and interceptelif.- bythe. opaque endeof-,ticket marks .M .printedioirt theitapef.. It will alsobe possible within the^scopen of 1 the; present. invention tos, arrange the' iluciteis rodsfto scanr a.. tape fof.` Zopaquelmaterial, suchzasff.. paper,..byu'eflectedglight. The.:alternative.strucay ture? for'. scanning arr `opaque vvtapelfxas -been :dis-

Byrreference! toi-Figs; fi-zandt;itWilL.beinotedy thatk the scanning; end vof :the luciterodz24 whiclti extends to. the parabolic .reflector l1.28 surrounding: therlamp .2S and.: the. scanning.;y end Aof. the i lucitef` rocl.a;23.';v which extendsxto the.- photoelectrlc cell f. 2 l fare both: supported; on the upper :face fof .'tl'lef'Y channel portionv 8. of the f. bracketli and. aresef.- curedzthereto ,byclampscZBfs and 25.?. 'Ih'e's'can'a ninglendszofithese rods extend downwardlyrnearelytofzthe. upperi, surface of the f, tape T; andi .arer bent xtowardpeach other.. as best. seen:-in:.1ig:. 5;.. Light. conducted:tl1rough;.the rod..24. fromthe: lamp.. 291s, directed at. anpangle. against. theups per s surface. ofi the f. tape .T as.'indicated,;byfthe.f dotted line, in- Fig'. 5':from...which ,itlzisfreflected intothe endof the rod 23' andconductedibyzsuchu; rodpto thephotoelectric .cell 2l,A exceptwhenzthe,y poor:reectingsurfaoe.of an;..endof..tlcket markt. Mbecomes interposed in `ther light path',

`-It will, of. course, be: apparentthat thefflight-z from .the .-lampmay 'be I,transmitteclLtotheY Ltaper by an optical system without employing alucite. rodor itpmay be transmitted. from -the tapeto the photoelectric .cellwithout .the use of a luciter rod., If .the directtransmission.otlight toand., fromth-e tape is employed,I the -compactnessofi thevassembly',wouldineed' to; bey sacriced...

. The .employment of thezph'otoelectric. scanner: forontrolling .the ,operation of the cutter :bladesf permits tickets of diierent lengths such as short, tickets .for vincompleted. calls, short .tickets for completed .calls of short duration and. longerticketsior calls of long duration to be accurately severedirom the roll of,.-printed tickets.

-What is, claimed is:

l. In a cuttingnfapparatus. means,for feeding..v therethrough ,a tape havingY distinctive marks formed in a longitudinally extending path theree along,;tape cuttingbladeS, ,a source of illumina-A tion; a photoelectric cell, a light conducting. rod. for conducting ,light ,from said source to a point insaid path, a light .conducting rod for conduct-f ing light from saidpath to said photoelectric.. cell, and. means operableupon the responseof. said.V .cell to light yfromsaid source asmodifled by the interpositioning. of said marks in said path". for causing thefoperationof said cutting. blades to-...sever the tape at or closelyadiacent to said.,

marks. y,

2.y Inza ticket cutting apparatus, meansfor feeding therethrough;A aftapehavingf tickets printed thereon and, end-of-ticket marks also printed alongapath adjacent to a margin of said tape and. immediately following the ends of .printed tickets, tape .cutting blades, a-Source of illumination, .a.... photoelectric cell, a light conducting rod for con-- ducting light from said source to a point in said.. path, a light conducting rod for conducting light from-.said pathto said. photoelectric cell, and meansoperable. upon they response of said cell.. tolight, from said source asmodied by the in-L` terpositioning of said marks in said path for causing the operation of said cutting blades to sever, the tape. at. or closely 'adjacent to :said-..1 marks.,-

asthma? '3"...Ircatcutting apparatus; means@l forxfe'edintf'- therethrough-.i az, tape havinge J distinctive. maximformed: inf-adongitudinallwextending path therea along,s1tape::cutting.blades; a source of illumina-i tion, a photoelectric celly a first light conductingrf.

rodf'extendingfrom':saidfsource to apointfortone faceifofzthatape. in alignment: with .said .path;1..a,r-. second. light `icorrdi.x'cting "rod extendingsfromfsaidsa .photoele'ctrica cell-top. a( pointfonf' the other; facer.

lformed. infa longitudinally. extendingpath therealong; tapeicutting blades'. a sources-of illumina-` tion; a'f..ph`0to'electric .cell, .a;i"`1rst,..lighticonductiiigey `-rod; extending fromi. said I,source with one :of fits.

endsxpositioned: adjacent to one. face offthe tapez.

' with its focal. axis inf alignment :with the. path` of 1? saidjmarks, av` second..lightconducting rod lex-- tendingliromsaidfphotoelectric .cell with one of. itsvendsspositioned adjacent: to the. same face. of-f theftapezwith its. focal axis in. alignment with' ther path'iof. said.' marks; Wherebylight fromxsaidliA source iszconductedthrough'.saidf rstf rod, reflected: from the .surface ofx the. tape, and. cone.-

..ductedz;,throughf.said second rod tosaid cell, andi meansrzoperablexfupon the response.- of `said.cellfto-. lightfrom saidisource as modified .by:the.move. ment of said marks into the light pathbetweens.; saidrs'ourceandfsaidcellV for causingzthe operation off. said; cuttingzbladesto'sever the...tape atzorf closely adjacent .to-.said marks... `5. ,Inra cutting: apparatus,v afpair of "feed ,rolls/f. for feeding; therethrough: a .tape having distixice L tive.marksi;formed. in .a'flonrgitudinally' extending: path;,1therealo`ng,:said:rolls1havingzyieldableffeede f ing surfaces;l shafts/for:supporting;y said., rolls;v az... pairof cooperating cutting,..blades, .yielda'ble'sup-- porting arms forthe.A endsfofioneot saidwblades journaled onffone.` of i said shafts,v yieldablef su`p'--.

:porting arms for: thesendszrof. the `other Iofisaidf:y

yblades.fgjournaledzon the other of. saidi shafts# .aa source .of.. illumination; afphotoelectric. cell, means i' ioridirecting;v light from;saidizisouroezy toxavpoint sai-dY .path Sironi; Which'f point L th'e light' is; directed I to -impinga` upon the, light a sensitivelelementf ot saidicell, .asolerroid operable-by the responseifotf.` Saidcel-l itor'light from saidfsources as: modiiied: by.- the interpositioningiof;saidmarkslinsaid pathff for `:causingzy the: initial.. movement of said .'.blade :into lelflgagement.-:bet-Ween'.` the yieldable` surfaces@ of. .'said rolls, whereupon. said .rolls cause zthe :cone` tinued movementiof said .blades in.,a,.,shearing;acetion.;witl't respect to;eacli' other. toV Sever the tapeg., and means thereafter eiective to restore saidl.

-.bladesltoitheir normal positions;V

6'.In..fa-:cutting;apparatus,. a.;pair of feed rollsri for.' feedingtherethrough a1 tapeshaying distinti:y tive marks formed inv a: longitudmally. extending; ,f path'E .therealong,; said rolls having iyieldable. feeding;surfacespshaftsafor supporting said;rolls,..a.. paiiuof :Cooperating cuttingfiblades;l yieldable rsup'e- .1 portingiftarms for .the ends fof. 'one'.of r said. .blades-1` journaled .om4 one?. ofsaid shafts,;,yieldable.= sup porting@v arms @for theA endseofthe otherrofssaidd 75p bla'desfeiournaled: onithe other 'of'..saidcshattsaaa source of illumination, a photoelectrc cell, means for directing light from said source to a point in said path from which point the light is directed to impinge upon the light sensitive element of said cell, a solenoid operable by the response of said cell to light from said source as modified by the interpositoning of said marks in said path for causing the initial movement of one of said blades into a position between the yieldable surfaces of said rolls, an extension on one of said Ablades for engaging said other blade for moving said other blade between the yieldable surfaces of said rolls, whereupon said rolls cause the continued movement of said blades in a shearing action with respect to each other to sever the tape, and means thereafter effective to continue the movement of said blades into their normal positions.

7. In a cutting apparatus a pair of feed rolls for feeding a tape therethrough, said rolls having yieldable feeding surfaces, shafts for supporting said rolls, a pair of cooperating cutting blades, yieldable supporting arms for the ends oi' one of said blades journaled on one of said shafts, yieldable supporting arms for the ends of the other of said blades journaled on the other of said shafts, a solenoid for causing the initial movement of said blades into engagement between the yieldable surfaces of said rolls, whereupon said rolls cause the continued movement of said blades in a shearing action with respect to each other` to sever the tape, and means thereafter eective to continue the movement of said blades into their normal positions.

El. In a cutting apparatus, a pair of feed rolls for feeding a tape therethrough, said rolls having yieldable feeding surfaces, shafts for supporting said rolls, a pair of cooperating cutting blades, yieldable supporting arms for the ends of one of said blades journaled on one of said shafts, yieldable supporting arms for the ends of the other of said blades journaled on the other of said shafts, a latch for holding one of said blades mature and operable upon the operation of said solenoid to unlatch said one blade and to move said blade into a position between the yieldable surfaces of said rolls, an exension on said one blade engageable upon its initial movement to move said other blade between the yieldable surfaces of said rolls, whereupon said rolls cause the continued movement of said blades in a shearing action with respect to each other to sever the tape, and means thereafter effective to continue the movement of said blades into their normal positions.

9. In a cutting apparatus, a pair of feed rolls for feeding a tape therethrough, said rolls having yieldable feeding surfaces, shafts for supporting said rolls, a pair of cooperating cutting blades, yieldable supporting arms for the ends of one of said blades journaled on one of said shafts, yieldable supporting arms for the ends of the other of said blades journaled on the other of said shafts, a solenoid for causing the initial movement of said blades into engagement between tlie yieldable surfaces of said rolls, Whereupon said rolls cause the continued movement of said blades in a shearing action with respect to each other to sever the tape, intermittent gears rotatable on said shaft and connected to said blades, respectively, said gears being normally out of mesh but brought into mesh when said 

